Fourth of July
by Stephanie18
Summary: It's the 4th of July at the Halliwell manor... no real plot, just a bunch of fun.


4th of July  
  
  
Prue carried a small box of fireworks from the car as Phoebe put an American flag near the mailbox.  
"That is hideous." Prue called to her as she came up the stairs.  
"Show some patriotism Prue." Phoebe told her.  
Prue just smiled and shook her head.  
"What do you think these are for?" Prue asked and held up the box.  
"You're just lucky I'm not wearing the stars and stripes hat out in public." Phoebe told her.  
Prue just smiled again and went inside.  
"Piper!" Prue called. "I got the fireworks!"  
Piper came out of the kitchen and said, "Great! Come and look at my cake!"  
Piper went back into the kitchen followed by Prue.  
Prue put the box of fireworks down on the floor and looked at Piper's American flag cake.  
"Looks good." Prue commented.  
"That's because it is." Piper told her.  
Prue just nodded a little and went to the backyard.  
Leo had a big piece of plywood and he was putting it in the middle of the yard.  
"What are you doing?" Prue asked.  
"You can't set fireworks off on grass." Leo told her. "It could catch."  
"If you mean fire, wood does too." Prue told him.  
"But there is a less likely chance, so it's better." Leo said.  
"Why didn't you just take one of those giant flat stones over there?" Prue asked and pointed to a few round stones that once were part of a fancy backyard "sidewalk".  
Leo just gave her a look and Prue laughed a little and went back inside.  
"Prue, you didn't get sparklers." Phoebe said disappointed as she rummaged through the box.  
Prue went to the fridge and grabbed a soda. "Yes, I did. They're probably on the bottom and-" Prue reached into her back pocket of her jeans and pulled out two thin boxes of sparklers. "I had some in my pocket."  
Phoebe smiled and took the sparklers. Prue smiled too and took a sip of soda.  
"Step away from the cake." Piper ordered as she came back into the kitchen.  
"Piper, you left the cake on the counter. We can't step away from the cake if we're in the kitchen." Prue told her.  
"Well, then put it in the fridge...oh and cover it!" Piper said. "I don't want my masterpiece to be ruined."  
"No, we can't have that." Prue said sarcastically and put a Tupperware cover over the cake then placed it carefully in the fridge.  
"Thank you." Piper said. She then glanced out the window and noticed Leo carrying a big round rock. "What is he doing?"  
Prue looked out the window and said, "Taking my advice." Leo got halfway to the plywood, then gave up and put the rock back. "Or not."  
"So, we've got cake, fireworks, food, and...do we need anything else?" Piper asked.  
"Darryl." Piper told her.  
"And Cole." Phoebe added.  
Piper gave Prue a look and Prue just smiled back and took another drink of her soda.  
"Do we have a lighter?" Piper asked.  
"Don't need one." Prue told her.  
"Why not?" Piper asked her.  
"Cole's coming." Prue said with a grin.  
"Yeah, but I'd rather not have the lawn catch on fire." Piper told her.  
Prue just sighed. "Alright. There's a lighter in the firework box."  
There was a knock on the door and Phoebe went to get it.  
Darryl was standing there with a stars and stripes hat and he was holding a miniature American flag.  
Phoebe glanced at his hat and said, "A kindred spirit." She gave him a hug and they went to the kitchen.  
"And I thought Phoebe looked ridiculous in that hat." Prue said to Darryl.  
"Where is your patriotism Prue?" Darryl asked and waved the tiny flag.  
Prue rolled her eyes and pointed to the firework box. "It's in there."  
Darryl looked out the window and noticed Leo carrying a piece of plywood over his head.  
"What is he doing?" He asked.  
"He's trying to find the best place to set that wood on fire." Prue said and took a sip of soda. Darryl gave her a confused look. "Nevermind."  
Cole shimmered in with a very tiny cardboard box.  
"Door." Prue and Piper said at the same time.  
"And hello to both of you as well." Cole said.  
"What's in the box?" Phoebe asked.  
Cole opened it up and revealed three fireworks.  
"The air kind!" Phoebe exclaimed.  
"Uh, yeah...the kind that go in the air." Cole said.  
Prue picked up the firework box and sifted through it and said, "So, that makes seven of the kind that go in the air, firecrackers, those little whizzy things, those tiny bomb-lookin' things, the things you pull and confetti stuff comes out, various other colorful things, and of course four boxes of sparklers." Prue smiled at Phoebe, then added, "And Leo has the M-80s right?"  
"M-80s??" Darryl asked alarmed.  
Prue smiled at him and said, "Kidding."  
Darryl sighed and said, "That's not funny."  
"Yeah, you're right." Prue said then got a serious face. "I'll tell Leo to set off the cherry bombs all at once then."  
"Alright, stop it." Piper said. "As fun as it is, stop it."  
Prue put the box down and Leo came into the kitchen out of breath.  
"I...got the...wood...ready." He panted.  
Prue looked out the window and said, "But it's in the same exact place."  
Leo just glared at her and Prue suggested, "Let's eat."  
  
They ate and it was finally dark. Prue went into the kitchen to get the fireworks when she heard a noise upstairs. She looked out the window and checked what she already knew, everyone else was still outside.  
"I swear if a demon ruins this for us." Prue muttered and picked up the lighter and one of the fireworks.  
'Lure him out.' She thought and slowly and as quietly as she could, crept upstairs.  
Of course, the noise was coming from the attic.  
Prue opened the door a crack and peeked through. A man with wild, long black hair was rummaging through everything and basically trashing the entire attic.  
Prue saw him turn toward the Book. He tried to touch it, but it jumped away from him. The man got angry and smashed his fist right through the wall. Prue's eyes widened at his strength.  
  
Back downstairs, Piper came into the kitchen smiling and laughing. Prue was taking too long with getting the fireworks. Piper noticed that the box was still on the floor, so she picked it up and sifted through it. The lighter was gone and so was one of the fireworks.  
Piper heard a noise from upstairs, and the smile faded from her face. She got worried and went up after Prue.  
  
Prue watched as the man continually tried to pick up the Book, but it kept sliding away. The man became angrier and angrier, until the Book slid right next to the door. The man looked and saw Prue looking through.  
He smiled a bit then flung his hand back. Prue immediately was thrown forward. She tried to stop herself anyway she could, but it was impossible.  
Piper arrived in the attic just in time to see Prue smash through the window. Her limbs were flailing and she had a look of terror on her face.  
Piper froze the man and ran to the window.  
"Leo! Prue now! Go!" Piper yelled. Piper then looked down and then quickly back up. She didn't need to see Prue like that.  
Leo got to Prue and healed her immediately. Prue got groggily back up then her eyes widened.  
"Piper!" Prue exclaimed and they both rushed to the attic.  
  
The man had unfrozen and Piper couldn't freeze him again. Piper backed into a wall and waited until he sent her flying through that window.  
He had his hand raised, but before he could do anything, Prue appeared in the attic doorway and used her power and threw him against the opposite wall.  
"That is for throwing me out the window." Prue told him then picked up the Book.  
The pages flipped and Prue said a spell.  
"Demon appears after the dawn,  
To this demon I say be gone."  
  
The spell didn't need more than one witch and Prue was thankful. As the demon screamed in pain, Prue told him, "And that is for trying to ruin my 4th of July."  
Prue brushed a strand of hair from her face and put the Book back on the podium, then picked up the firework and lighter.  
"What are we standing around here for?" Prue asked. "Let's go celebrate."  
  
THE END 


End file.
